Combined center filler and draft lug unit



Feb. 19, 1957 E. H. BLATTNER COMBINED CENTER FILLER AND DRAFT LUG UNIT Filed .my 1e, .195o

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United States Patent() COMBINED CENTER FILLER AND DRAFT LUG UNIT Emil H. Blattner, Buialo, N. Y., assignor to The Symington-Gould Corporation, Depew, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland l Application July 18, 1950, Serial No. 174,499

8 Claims. (Cl. Z13- 57) This invention pertains to a combined bolster center filler and draft lug unit adapted to be associated with a component of a railway vehicle.

An object of the invention is the provision of an imv The above and numerous other objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains from the following description of an exemplified form of the invention retiected by the accompanying drawing wherein: l

'Figure l is a plan view of a combined bolster center filler and draft lug unit embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 2 2 of Figure l looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a partial end elevational and partial vertical sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

. Referring now in detail to the various figures of the drawing whereinlike reference characters indicate like parts the numeral 1 is employed to designate, in a somewhat general manner, a combined bolster center filler and draft lug unit embodying jthe present invention and hereinafter sometimes referred to as a unit for the sake of brevity. For a more detailed explanation of the purpose of the unit, it may be pointed out that a center sill 2 with which the unit is to be associated in service is illustrated by diagrammatic lines. Generally considered the center sill, forming a component or force receiving column of a railway vehicle but no part of the present invention, comprises transversely spaced, vertically directed side Webs 3 which may be joined at their upper extremities by a top web 4 and have feet or terminal arms 5 directed outwardly or laterally from their lower extremities. As

will be noted the center still presents a downwardly opening member and the unit is contained neatly within Vthe contines of the sill in an area in transverse alignment with' a body bolster (not shown).

The unit is provided with main walls 6 which may be classified also as side walls and are positioned transversely of the unit or sill to extend in a longitudinal direction in close proximity to and preferably in bearing relation with These side walls are preferably of Vless height than the related side webs for the purpose of lightening the unit and further because it is, for the present, believed that to present adequate strength in the unit it is not necessary to make the sidewalls coextensive vertically with the side webs. In the present structure it is desired `to extend the sidewalls for the full length of fthe unit and of constant or substantially the same crosssectional value so that the side walls will therefore present transversely spaced, vertically directed, parallel and side defining or strength components of the unit. While various means may be employed to secure the side walls and therefore the unit, to the center sill it is preferred with the present structure to employ rivets (not shown) for this purpose and accordingly each side wall is provided with a plurality of somewhat evenly spaced or adequately distributed rivet holes 7.

A bottom or lower extremity of each side wall has, instanding therefrom in a horizontal or transverse direction, a bottom or bed plate 8 which,v in forming a bottom wall of the unit, functions further to tie the side walls together adjacent their lower edges. Lightening Vholes 9 are formed in the bed plate at spaced intervals and forwardly of the lightening holes are transversely spaced entrance holes 10 of irregular configuration and also formed in the bed plate. These entrance holes function to decrease the ultimate weight of the unit and also' serve to allow the introduction of buck-up tool to the interiorr of the unit to hold a rivet in a lixed position during assembly of the unit with a center sill. At what may be considered a front end 11 of the unit, thek related or front extremities of the side walls are provided with rear or draft lugs 12 which project transversely of the unit or sills in spaced relation to one another. The draft lugs present vertical and transverse barriers against which a draft gear (not shown) imparts buiiing forces in service and such forces are conveyed by the unit to the center sill and car body (not shown).

Upstanding vertically from the bed plate as an integral part thereof, is a hollow or cylindrical post or column 13 arranged centrally transversely of the unit for the accommodation of a king pin (not shown). The post extends vertically yfor a height less than the height of the side walls so as to allow the introduction of the king pin to the post. As will be appreciated this king pin functions as a rigid pintle to assist in maintaining a truck (not shown) and car body in assembled relation. Also for a more complete positioning of the post, the latter is disposed on what maybe considered as a longitudinal vertical plane of the unit or car body and as characterized by the diagrammatic lines A-A; see Figures l and 3. It may also be well to state at this juncture that the post is a substantial, rigid component of the unit and as such capable of adequately withstanding the stresses or forces to which it is subjected in service.

It has been found from long experience with structures analogous with the structure of the present invention that, in service, the butiing forces imparted to the unit will not be, at all times, distributed with equal magnitude to the respective draft lugs. This occasional unequal distribution of forces will, therefore, subject the rivets holding one side Wall to the center sill to greater shear forces than to which rivets securing the companion or other side wall to the center sill will be subjected. As will be appreciated this condition, not yet recognized fully by the art, may result in complete failure of the unit-sill connection. In order to compensate for this unequal distribution of forces, the unit of the present invention vhas been designed so that forces imparted to one draft lug and related side wall will be transmitted, through suitable means, to a companion side wall and thus both side walls are arranged to receive forces imparted to either or both draft lugs.

' Toward the accomplishment of the above the unit is provided with cross-ribbing generally designated by the reference character 14. This ribbing is characterized by each side wall being joined to the king pin post by apair `of vertically extending, diagonally directed ribs 15 and 15a. Since these ribs are joined integrally to not only the side walls and post but also the bed plate the arrangesfrenato ment at this location presents a box-like structure at this location or area, capable of not only withstanding the forces to which it will be subjected in service but further, is so designed to transmit forces or impacts from one side wall to another side wall. As will be noted by referring to Figure l particularly, a rib on one side of the longitudinal center line extends diagonally of the unit in full or direct alignment with a rib 15a on the other side of the longitudinal center line with the king pin post functioning as a rigid column therebetween and accordingly any concentrated forces applied to one draft lng will be carried into the related side wall and, through the aligned diagonal ribs, transmitted to a companion side wall thus utilizing the full holding or shearing value of all of the side wall-sill connecting rivets. It will be noted that tbc cross-ribbing is extended vertically or upwardly beyond the limits of not only the king pin post but also the side walls to present extensions 16 in localized areas. These extensions are intended to terminate short of the center' sill top wall 4 where they are joined to the top wall by means of welds 17 thereby affording an adequate and suitable top anchorage for the cross-ribbing.

ln order to strengthen, further, the unit and also to pro vide for additional equalization or distribution of forces, the unit is provided with a ribbing 18 Y-shaped in plan and upstanding vertically from or formed integral with the bed plate. This Y-shaped ribbing generally is coinprised of a transverse rib or forward wall 19 somewhat V-shaped in plan in that it is formed by transversely spaced, side wings 20 growing out of the side walls as integral parts thereof and sloping or inclined slightly rearwardly away from the draft lugs toward the post as they extend inwardly of the unit. These side wings are of a height substantially equal to the height of the draft lugs for reasons which will be hereinafter made apparent. Forming an integral part of the forward wall and joining the side wings as an intermediate connection thereof is a rearwardly bulged or angular in plan, central brace 21 also formed in the nature of diagonally converging ribs to concentrate portions of the forces at the longitudinal central plane of the unit. What may be considered as a tail of the Y-shaped ribbing is a central longitudinally extending rib or compression wall 22 joining `directly an apex of the central brace and the king pin post. lt will be noted by referring to Figure 2, particularly, that the central brace and compression wall decrease gradually in height from a higher location at the side wings to a lower height at the king pin post. Any unequal forces imparted to one draft lug will be picked up in part by the Y-shaped ribbing and transmitted to the king pin post and thence distributed to the side walls equally through the cross-ribbing. The draft lugs are tied in with the Y-shaped ribbing through the medium of vertically ar ranged, horizontally directed connecting anges 23 which assist in carrying loads imparted to the draft lugs to the Y-shaped ribbing and side walls. These connecting flanges form an integral part of the unit to be directed inwardly of the unit from the side walls and extend longi tudinally from the draft lugs to the side wings.

From the above it will be noted that various changes and alterations may be made to the illustrated and described construction without departing from the spirit of this invention or scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a combined bolster center filler and draft lug unit, the combination of, transversely spaced vertical side walls, a vertical hollow post of less height than said side walls and interposed therebetween, transversely spaced vertical draft lugs extending inwardly of said unit from extremities of said side walls, diagonally arranged ribbing extending rearwardly from said post to each of said side walls, a vertical rib Vshaped in plan directed toward said post, said rib being'positioned between said draft lugs til) and 'post and joining said side walls, and a central rib parallel to said side walls and joining said V-shaped rib and post.

2. In a combined bolster center ller and draft lug unit, the combination of, transversely spaced vertical side walls, a vertical hollow post positioned between said side walls, vertical `draft lugs extending inwardly of said unit adjacent one end thereof from said side walls, diagonally aligned ribbing joiningeach side wall to said post from positions forward andv rearward of said post, and a vertical Y-shaped ribbing spaced rearwardly of said draft lugs and joining said side walls to said post.

3. In a combined bolster center filler and draft lug unit, the combination of, transversely spaced vertical side walls, a vertical hollow post interposed between said side walls, vertical draft lugs extending inwardly of said unit adjacent one end thereof from said side walls, vertically and diagonally disposed ribbing joining each side wall to said post from positions rearward of said post, a vertical and transverse rib bulged toward said post and joining said side walls in spaced relation to said draft lugs, and a central vertical rib joining said bulged rib and post.

4. In a combined bolster center filler and draft lug unit, the combination of, transversely spaced vertical side walls, a vertical hollow post interposed between said side walls, vertical draft lugs extending inwardly of said unit adjacent one end thereof from said side walls, vertically and diagonally disposed ribbing joining each side wall to said post from positions forward and rearward of said post, a vertical and transverse rib bulged toward said post and joining said side walls in spaced relation to said draft lugs, a central vertical rib joining said bulged rib and post, and reinforcing flanges joining said draft lugs and bulged rib.

5. In a combined bolster center filler and draft lug unit, the combination of, transversely spaced vertical side walls, a vertical hollow post interposed between and of less height than said side walls, draft lugs instanding of said unit from adjacent extremities of said side walls, vertically and diagonally disposed ribbing joining each side wall to said post from positions forward and rearward of said post, said ribbing being of a height greater than said post and side walls, and means extending diagonally from each side wall toward said post, said means being in spaced relation to said draft lugs and merging into a single web disposed centrally of said unit and connected to said post; said means and web gradually decreasing in height from adjacent said side walls to said post.

6. In a combined bolster center filler and draft lug unit, the combination of, transversely spaced vertical side walls, a vertical hollow post interposed between and of less height than said side walls, draft lugs instanding of said unit from adjacent extremities of said side walls, vertical diagonal ribbing extending rearwardly from said post directly to and merging with each side wall, and means extending from each side wall and forwardly of said post and merging into a single verticle web disposed centrally of said unit and merging rearwardly with said post.

7. In a combined bolster center filler and draft lug unit, the combination of, transversely spaced vertical side walls, a vertical hollow post interposed between and of less height than said side walls, draft lugs instanding of said unit from adjacent extremities of said side walls, vertical diagonal ribbing extending rearwardly from said post to each side wall, and means extending from each side wall forwardly of said post and merging into a single vertical web disposed centrally of said unit and merging rearwardly with said post; said means and web gradually decreasing in height from adjacent said side walls to said post.

8. In a unitary cast combined bolster center ller and draft lug unit the combination of, a bottom wall, transversely spaced vertical side walls, and cross-bracing connecting said side walls, said cross-bracing including a pair of vertically disposed ribbings, eachof said ribbings extending diagonally of said unit between said side Walls in one of a pair of intersecting planes for transmitting longitudinal forces rearwardly from each to the other side Wall.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Drenning Mar. 31, 1925 Williams Nov. 22, 1927 Martin Apr. 15, 1930 Garlock et al. Aug. 8, 1944 

